Bill would defang Seattle election watchdog

A bill cruising through the state Legislature would eliminate the requirement that candidates and political action committees file reports with Seattle’s election watchdog.

Senate Bill 6243 would require information to be filed only with the state’s Public Disclosure Commission.

Wayne Barnett, executive director of the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission, says if the measure becomes law city voters will be deprived of a source of information.

The SEEC’s Web site – which political insiders access every day during election season – is widely viewed as more user friendly than the PDC site.

A political action committee that supported Joe Mallahan’s failed bid for mayor was fined $5,000 in October by the SEEC for failing to properly report more than $100,000 in contributions from city firefighters and conservative business interests. The Working for Seattle group registered as a PAC with the PDC on Oct. 13. On Oct. 16 the group reported contributions of $102,500 but no filings were made with the city, the complaint states.

Working for Seattle sent an e-mail to the city’s election watchdog, asking how to file reports. That e-mail came the same day a Seattle Times online story was posted about the existence of the PAC, the complaint says. Working for Seattle filed outstanding reports with the city on Oct. 27.

SB 6243 passed the Senate 47-0 and the House 95-1. The Senate must approve changes made to the bill in the House.